Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The school transport scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year more than 161,600 children are being transported on a daily basis to schools throughout the country. This figure comprises more than 135,000 pupils travelling on mainstream services, 19,800 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine. The total cost of the scheme in 2023 was €382.02 million.

Under the current terms of the school transport scheme, children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 km, as the Deputy pointed out, from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post-primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 km from and are attending their nearest post primary school or education centre as determined by the Department and Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

Children who are eligible for school transport, who apply and who pay on time are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation. Children who are eligible for school transport but for whom no service is available may be offered the remote area grant towards the cost of making private transport arrangements. The remote area grant is also payable for eligible children who may have to travel 3.2 km or more to or from a designated pick-up or set-down point.

Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only, and will be facilitated where spare seats are available after eligible children have been accommodated. Where the number of ineligible children exceeds the number of spare seats available, Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for the spare seats using an agreed selection process.

Bus Éireann is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes on behalf of the Department. Safety of children travelling on the school transport services is of paramount importance to the Department and to Bus Éireann. Bus Éireann endeavours, within available resources, to ensure that such eligible children have a reasonable level of school transport service in the context of the scheme nationally. Routes are planned so that, as far as possible, no eligible child will have more than 3.2 km to travel to a pick-up point. Children are generally expected to make their own way, or to be brought to convenient pick-up points along the main route.

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